Reviewed by Geo Rule / LISTENING POST DISCOVERY
Released: 1982 Teenage Head Some Kinda Fun Genre: Rockabilly With ‘80s ‘Tude Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Highlights: (umm, all of it) Kick-Ass Cover: “Some Kinda Fun” What, all it takes is a couple concert riots and a naughty sophomore kind of band name to get yourself labeled as “Punk” in Canada? Are they that nice up there? I guess so. Teenage Head was a Canadian group of the early ‘80s that did quite well north of the border, but as much as anything American parents hang-ups over the band name limited their US presence. They finally got an American label for the album after this one, but were forced to change their name for US purposes to “Teenage Heads” to mollify the parents of teenage daughters. Fun historical fact: The age of consent in Canada at the time was 14 (and would remain so until 2008), so by local standards while naughty, it wasn’t necessarily the kind of “San Quentin Quail” (to use a phrase from my California youth, where to this day the age of consent remains at 18) situation many Americans perceived. I know I’m not a Punk afficionado, but these guys can play their instruments quite well, the lead singer can sing, there’s little sign of politics, or general screw authority, here ... just the teenage holy trinity –sex, drugs (or more accurately, beer), and rock ‘n roll. Sure, this is the kind of music your parents were afraid you were listening to, but “Punk” I just don’t get. “Some Kinda Fun” (which I actually listened to first, before streaming the whole album) is a cover of a Chris Montez song from 1962. Chris’ first hit is one you’ll all remember, “Let’s Dance”. This was his second release, and was a minor hit. The Teenage Head version replaces the original organ melody with driving guitar, and yes, it kicks all kinda ass. Being introduced to Teenage Head through that song, certainly bent me –hard—towards an initial “Modern Eddie Cochran” kind of assessment. As I listened to the rest of the album in order, there wasn’t as much of that sensibility, tho it could be detected here and there ... until I got to “Don’t Toy With Me”, which if Jerry Lee Lewis and Eddie C. ever did a collab, that’s what it’d sound like. So I’ll stick with my assessment, yes there’s certainly modern elements here, and naughtier lyrics than one could have gotten away with in the early 60s, but at heart I’m still hearing modern rockabilly with the usual concerns –getting laid, and getting drunk. Punk, not so much. I loved, loved, loved this album, and now I’ll have to go back and listen to the first two as well.
Showing posts with label Teenage Head. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teenage Head. Show all posts
Monday, January 1, 2024
Monday, August 9, 2021
The 1980 Listening Post - Teenage Head - Frantic City
Teenage Head - Frantic City
#231
By Rob Slater
Teenage Head
Frantic City.
Genre: Brian Setzer gets punked before he starts.
Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Rob's Rating: (First time through 3) [Second 3.5] Kind of inclined to give it 4 out of 5.
Rob’s Highlights:
Infected
Take It
Let's Shake
Fun, rockabilly, only sorta punk, a several playlist worthy songs. Great if you need to get energized, the first side is great, second side is okay. 1. "Wild One" - Requisite eighties cover. Probably unnecessary, but fun. 2. "Somethin' on My Mind" is a nice mellow 50s dish almost like an Elvis song, complete with a sax, but the lyrics are pretty wicked. 3. "Total Love" Getting a little more back to upbeat and an original. Great harmonies and country twang guitars. 4. "Let's Shake" was their biggest hit off this record. It's great rockabilly. 5. "Infected" First actual punk song. “Where do I go to get infected?” More 'great' lyrics. 6. "Those Things You Do" – Like Total Love 7. "Somethin' Else" - Requisite eighties cover #2. Cochran did it better. Still fun, but... 8. "Take It” This one grew on me. 9. "Brand New Cadillac" - Requisite eighties cover #3. Check out the history of this song. Vince Taylor wrote it, covered by The Clash, Mott the Hoople, Van Morrison. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_New_Cadillac 10. "Disgusteen" And it is disgustin'! Very punk. The last two went down hill for me. But I would listen to the first 8 regularly.
Friday, July 17, 2020
The 1980 Listening Post - Teenage Head - Frantic City
Teenage Head - Frantic City
#231
#231
By Rob Slater
Teenage Head
Frantic City.
Genre: Brian Setzer gets punked before he starts.
Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Rob's Rating: (First time through 3) [Second 3.5] Kind of inclined to give it 4 out of 5.
Rob’s Highlights:
Infected
Take It
Let's Shake
Fun, rockabilly, only sorta punk, a several playlist worthy songs. Great if you need to get energized, the first side is great, second side is okay. 1. "Wild One" - Requisite eighties cover. Probably unnecessary, but fun. 2. "Somethin' on My Mind" is a nice mellow 50s dish almost like an Elvis song, complete with a sax, but the lyrics are pretty wicked. 3. "Total Love" Getting a little more back to upbeat and an original. Great harmonies and country twang guitars. 4. "Let's Shake" was their biggest hit off this record. It's great rockabilly. 5. "Infected" First actual punk song. “Where do I go to get infected?” More 'great' lyrics. 6. "Those Things You Do" – Like Total Love 7. "Somethin' Else" - Requisite eighties cover #2. Cochran did it better. Still fun, but... 8. "Take It” This one grew on me. 9. "Brand New Cadillac" - Requisite eighties cover #3. Check out the history of this song. Vince Taylor wrote it, covered by The Clash, Mott the Hoople, Van Morrison. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_New_Cadillac 10. "Disgusteen" And it is disgustin'! Very punk. The last two went down hill for me. But I would listen to the first 8 regularly.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
The 1986 Listening Post - Teenage Head - Trouble in the Jungle
Teenage Head - Trouble in the Jungle
#580
1986 Housekeeping
Teenage Head
Trouble in the Jungle
Genre: Bubblegum Punks
2.75 out of 5
Highlights:
Frantic Romantic
I’ve only heard one Teenage Head album. It’s their 1981 album Frantic and I loved every second of it.
Then they dropped off the list because I’m terrible at research. So, I have no idea what they put out up til Jungle.
This is the sound of Bay City Rollers and fuzz. But it’s also the sound of 50s rock Post-Rocky Horror and Shock Treatment. Which makes it more than just nostalgic for me, it actually turns it into kitsch.
There are no requisite 80s covers since the album’s got a bunch. Like “Weekend” by Eddie Cochran and others or “Little Sister”, which just sounds like guys who like a song and decided to record it. They all make Teenage Head sound like the opening act for a Ramones concert.
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